Forgiveness
by Lollipop456
Summary: One-shot. Arnold helps Sid to see that he should forgive Monkeyman for not being there to save him from his mugging.


When Arnold received the Beatle Boots from Monkeyman, he could not wait to go to school the next morning and give them to Sid. This would surely end the hostility that Sid had towards the vigilant hero after he did not save him from a mugging.

At school, Arnold chose to give Sid the Beatle Boots at lunch time. When he tried to find Sid in the cafeteria, he was joined by his best friend, Gerald.

"Hey Arnold, are you looking for someone?" Gerald asked.

"Yeah, I'm looking for Sid."

"Isn't that him in the back?"

Arnold looked towards the back of the cafeteria and saw Sid sitting at an isolated table. His eye was still swollen from the mugging, and he did appear to be angry still.

"What do you need with him?"

"I have a present for him. Monkeyman brought him some new Beatle boots."

"Eh, I don't think you should mention Monkeyman buying the boots, Arnold. I'm not sure if you noticed but Sid isn't exactly the guy's biggest fan right now."

Arnold turned his attention towards Sid and saw that he was muttering to himself and stabbing a banana with his fork.

"Come on, Gerald. It may help to smooth things over."

"Okay Arnold."

Arnold approached Sid's table, with Gerald following close behind. Once they were seated, Sid finally noticed them and stopped his harassing of the banana.

"Oh, Hey Arnold, hey Gerald."

"Hey Sid. How's the eye?" Arnold asked.

"Eh, it's okay. It still hurts a little bit. It wouldn't be hurting at all if a certain poofy-haired snot was paying attention to someone in need."

Arnold cleared his throat. "Uh, right. Listen Sid, I got a present for you."

Arnold reached into his backpack and took out the Beatle Boots, handing them over to Sid.

"Oh, boy-howdy! New Beatle Boots! Arnold, you shouldn't have. They must have cost a fortune."

"Well, Sid, I didn't-"

"They look just like my old ones. You even had them polished. Arnold, you're the best friend a kid could have."

"Thanks Sid, but I didn't buy the Beatle Boots."

Sid frowned. "You didn't?"

"No, actually their from Monkeyman. I think he bought them to show you how sorry he was."

"Oh, so banana-man thinks he can buy his way back into my good graces? He thinks he can bribe me? Well, take them back to him, Arnold, because I don't like bribes."

Arnold sighed. "Sid, I don't think he's trying to bribe you. I think this is just his way of apologizing."

Sid folded his arms. "Well, he can apologize all he wants, but I'm never forgiving him. For someone who is suppose to protect the weak and the small, he isn't doing the best job."

"Look, I know it seems like he deserted you, but didn't you ever think that he just couldn't hear you?"

"I was right outside the opera house, Arnold, how could he not hear me?"

"Well, maybe he was talking to the mayor. Or maybe there was too many noises inside."

Sid shrugged his shoulders. "Gee, I never thought of that. I just thought that he wasn't paying attention to me."

"Sid, people make mistakes, but that doesn't mean that they are terrible people. Don't you think that Monkeyman deserves another chance?"

Sid seemed to ponder what Arnold said. After a moment, he removed his sneakers and slipped on his new Beatle Boots.

"Good going, Sid." Arnold said.

"Well, now that I think about it, I wasn't exactly nice to Monkeyman, I didn't even give him a chance to explain. I guess I should be sorry to."

Arnold reached across the table and touched Sid's shoulder. "You know who would like to hear that?"

Sid nodded. "Yeah, I do."

When night came, Sid went to the back alley where Monkeyman's hideout was. He stood at the curtain and saw that Monkeyman was relaxing in an old recliner, eating a banana, and watching an old TV.

"Hi Monkeyman." Sid finally said.

Monkeyman nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Sid's voice. In fact, he was so startled that he knocked the TV off its table and busted it.

"Sid? What are you doing here I thought that m...You were mad at me?" Monkeyman stood and walked up to Sid.

"Well, I was, at first. Now, when I think about it, I guess I was sort of to blame to."

"You? Sid, what are you m...Talking about? You were the one that was mugged."

"Yeah but, I didn't give you a chance to explain, I just started yelling at you and calling you names."

"Yeah, well I deserved it."

There was a moment of awkward silence, Sid began to rub his arm. It was something he often did when he was uncomfortable.

"So, did you really hear me outside the opera house?" Sid asked.

Monkeyman shook his head. "Absolutely not. I was so wrapped up in my conversation with the mayor that I couldn't hear anything but the sound of our voices. Sid, believe me, if I had known what was happening, then I would m...Be there to save you."

Sid smiled slightly. "I know you would've."

"I was so upset that I even considered giving up my superhero duties."

"What stopped you?" Sid asked.

"Arnold talked me out of it. Besides, I didn't want to make the same mistake twice. Next time some kid got mugged or bullied, I wanted to be there to protect them. Sid, I'm m...Sorry for not saving you."

Sid extended his hand. "It's okay."

Monkeyman smiled and shook Sid's hand. "Say, do you wanna have a banana?"

Sid shrugged. "Sure, why not."

Monkeyman and Sid grabbed a couple of bananas and began to chat about their lives. Little did they know that Arnold had seen Sid go to the hideout, and that he had heard the entire conversation.


End file.
